Heat Up Over Climate Change

Exploring climate change and the effects on the world's children; a peer education pack

Middle

The purpose of this education package is to ensure students connect climate change to the effects it is already having on children living in the world's most vulnerable communities. The pack is divided into four sections:

Know More - three activities to increase understanding of climate change and its effects on the world's children.

What Climate Change Really Means - 45 minutes- After watching a video and examining a flow chart, students describe effects of climate change on children's rights.

Rising Tide - 30 minutes - Through active team simulation, students experience the effects of decreasing land mass due to rising sea levels.

Ready to Go? - 15 minutes - Through active team simulation, students learn what it would be like to have to quickly evacuate their home, then listen to the story of a child caught in this situation for real.

Feeling Angry? - 2 hours- After watching a video and taking part in the accompanying discussion, small groups of students decide on what messages they'd like to get out regarding climate change and then decide how they will do it.

Explore More - two activities designed to examine responsibility for climate change.

Big Emitters - 15 minutes - using a regular world map students work together to predict the top five world carbon emitters. They then compare their predictions to the Guardian's Carbon Atlas and discuss what's going on.

Climate Superhero Auditions - 40 minutes - students role play provided superhero descriptions. The goal is to create the perfect climate change action team. They then go on to discuss the impact of small team action verses every single person action.

Do More - A section that provides support and guidance for climate change action projects.

Be the Change - as long as needed - with teacher support and the do more guide to action, students decide on and plan for successful action against climate change.

Share More - A form to complete in order to report on successful actions taken.

While produced in conjunction with the Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen in 2009, the resource has relevance and application today.

Air, Atmosphere & Climate (1)

Citizenship (1)

Energy (1)

The bias' are that awareness of the implications of our western world actions could change them, and that those who have their human rights met have the responsibility to uphold the human rights of other world citizens.

While discussion questions are provided, nothing is provided to capture student performance throughout the process. The final action project assignment would certainly be assessable.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.

Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply â€˜presenting')